Pre-Medical or Physician Assistant

Students who wish to pursue careers in medicine, including osteopathic medicine, and students who wish to become a physician’s assistant may fulfill their admission requirements with any degree provided they fulfill the specific course requirements of those professional programs. Students interested in medicine should work closely with their advisors who will help ensure they complete the specific requirements for their desired programs and their NKU bachelor’s degrees. Some departments, such as biological sciences and chemistry, have faculty who are dedicated pre-med advisors.

Coursework

The two most common degrees sought by pre-med students at NKU are in biological sciences (cellular/molecular/genetics track) and chemistry & biochemistry (biochemistry track). However, regardless of the major a student chooses, the requirements for entry into medical school are met by completing the courses listed below. It is recommended that non-science majors complete several electives at the 300/400/500 level in biology, chemistry, or related disciplines. In addition, courses in mathematics, behavioral and social sciences, and the humanities, provide excellent preparation for medical study. Requirements for professional medical programs generally include:

One year of biology with labs.

One year of inorganic/general chemistry with labs.

One year of organic chemistry with labs.

One year of physics with labs.

One year of English/composition courses (discipline-specific 291W/391W courses are accepted).

Mathematics (varies with programs; usually two semesters of mathematics required).

Recommended for Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

One semester of Introductory Psychology

One semester of Introduction to Sociology

One semester of Biochemistry

One semester of Cell Biology

One semester of Statistics

AP credit

AP credit is treated differently by specific medical and osteopathic programs regardless of how the credit is treated by NKU. Students who have AP credit and who wish to attend professional programs should work closely with their advisors.

First-year plan

Because students can pursue any degree program to prepare for medical school, only the first year of recommended study is shown below. To see four-year plans in particular areas (such as biological sciences or chemistry), please see those particular degree programs.